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Common Sense

Thomas Paine·English

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Paine's incendiary pamphlet, written in language any farmer could read, that made the case for American independence so forcefully it turned grievance into revolution. It argues that government is at best a necessary evil and that a small island has no business ruling a continent.

We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation similar to the present hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand, and a race of men, perhaps as numerous as all Europe contains, are to receive their portion of freedom from the events of a few months.

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